It is the political scandal of the summer in Italy. The Minister of Culture offered the position of “consultant for major events” to his lover, the influencer Maria Rosaria Boccia. She admitted the case in an interview and resigned.
It is a case that is shaking Italian politics and, due to its contours, has become a scandal. Italy’s Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano resigned on Friday after offering the post of “major events advisor” to his lover, the influencer and businesswoman María Rosaria Boccia.
The controversy began when, in August, María Rosario Boccia posted on social media that she was hired by the Ministry of Culture as an advisor, personally thanking Gennaro Sangiuliano for his trust. At that time there were already rumors that the minister had an extramarital relationship with the influencer, but the case received extensive media coverage after publication.
Initially, Gennaro Sangiuliano denied that there had been any relationship with the influencer, although the opposition insisted on the minister’s dismissal. On Wednesday, however, he admitted, in an interview on TG1 News, the extramarital affair and apologized to his wife, Federica Corsini, and also to the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who initially refused to allow the head of the government to resign.
“The first person I want to apologize to, because it is exceptional, is my wife. Then I want to apologize to Giorgia Meloni, who trusted me, and for the shame I caused her and the government,” lamented Gennaro Sangiuliano during the interview, in which he became emotional.
Despite having offered the role of advisor to his lover, the Italian Minister of Culture pointed out that he was not paid and that he “did not pay a single euro” to the influencer. In addition, responding to the fears of the opposition, Gennaro Sangiuliano pointed out that Maria Rosaria Boccia did not have access to any confidential government information.
The official gave even more details in the interview about how he met Maria Rosaria Boccia. He indicated that the first contact he had with the influencer was in May, during the campaign for the European elections of Irmãos de Itália, Giorgia Meloni’s party. Gennaro Sangiuliano said that they initially became friends, but later developed a “romantic relationship.” The minister stressed, however, that finished the love affair during the summer.
Following the interview, calls for the minister to resign increased. On Friday, Gennaro Sangiuliano submitted his resignation letter to Giorgia Meloni, in a decision he described as “irrevocable”. In the letter, the government official criticised the “hatred” he received from the “political media system” and thanked the prime minister for having “defended” him and for her “affection”.
However, Gennaro Sangiuliano said that – in order to safeguard the institutions – he had to “resign” after days “full of hate” on social networks and in the media. “I need peace, to be close to the wife I love,” he stressed, warning that he “will act in all legal instances” against the false news that was spread about the extramarital relationship.
“My honour is at stake and I consider it important to be able to act to demonstrate my absolute transparency without involving the Government,” explained the now ex-governor, stressing, as he had said in the interview, that he did not spend “a single euro of the Ministry for inappropriate activities.”
Source: Observadora
